Matcha tea is derived from specially selected green tea plants and grown under bamboo mats (when approaching harvest time) to provide a soft subtle, very limited lighting which allows the plants to increase their chlorophyll and amino acid levels and maximize the vitality of the nutrients within its leaves. The top 2 to 4 most tender leaves are harvested from each branch at the peak of their growth cycle and then processed within hours to minimize oxidation (which preserves the levels of vital amino acids). The leaves are then dried and ground to a fine powdery consistency and packaged fresh to preserve as much of their nutritional value as possible. There are two harvest seasons for Matcha tea leaves with the first harvest happening in spring (usually in May) and the second harvest is in summer (late june to mid july depending on the elevation of the plantation). It is this distinction that provides us with the different quality levels of Matcha tea. Ceremonial tea comes from the spring harvest and culinary grade comes from the summer harvest. The second harvest produces a tea power that is slightly less green and more tending to the bitter spectrum of taste, but can still be consumed as a tea. The spring harvest is smaller but produces the sweetest of leaves and thus has been chosen for special ceremonial use for many centuries. For those who consume the finest ceremonial teas there is yet one more vital consideration when choosing where to get the finest grade of ceremonial matcha tea. Matcha tea shares many commonalities with the growing of wine grapes. The region, soil, water, sunlight and elevation all make the difference in how a tea leaf finishes. After many years of research and taste testing we have discovered that there are certain regions in China that offer exceptional growing conditions for green tea that is to be used in the Matcha process.
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